Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/146

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I think that travellers have often mistaken large chicks for hens. Thus, when they see a cock and some half-dozen drab Ostriches together, at a nest or on the veld, they at once class them as cock and hens, and say they are polygamous birds, while it is more than likely that the lot consists of one pair with large chicks. I have often seen a large chick mistaken for an adult hen by men of considerable experience as Ostrich farmers. Such chicks are not easily distinguished from hens, except at close quarters by an experienced man. Andersson seems to have made this mistake, and even to have supposed that a large chick was an Ostrich of a different species. It must be remembered that Ostriches are some years reaching maturity, often not attaining their complete adult plumage till four years old. If little chicks (another year's brood) accompanied the pair with large chicks, one would be even more likely to draw a false inference.

When several hens lay in the same nest it frequently happens that two wish to lay at the same time. In this case, as a rule, one will lay in the nest, the other on the bare ground outside. Sometimes, however, two hens may be seen on the nest at once. Presently some of the hens will begin to sit (the cock alone sitting at night). One occupies the nest, the other broody hens lying or standing about close at hand, thus betraying its presence. When she arises, whichever of the other hens is quickest, perhaps a laying hen, takes her place. Under these conditions a great many eggs are broken both before sitting begins and afterwards. The hens do not sit by turns; there is no plan in their proceedings at all.

The laying of eggs goes on from day to day by some of the hens, even after others have ceased. The consequence of this is that the same lot of eggs are never in the nest together for more than a few days at a time. (This I have frequently proved by marking the eggs.) Some are rolled out, new ones are laid, or old ones are rolled in, for the nest becomes trampled almost out of shape by the traffic about it. Thus there are no chicks; the eggs become broken or addled, and the nest is eventually abandoned. Under such conditions it not infrequently happens